LA SALLE – The LaSalle County Health Department will sponsor their 27th Annual Food Service Seminar on Monday, Sept. 9. The seminar will be held at Senica’s Oak Ridge, Rt. 6, LaSalle. 

Everyone is welcome to attend. Registration is from 8-8:30 a.m. The seminar will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 3:30 p.m. The day will consist of speakers from Carle Foundation Hospital, the Illinois Department of Public Health, Lake County Health Department and Quik-Kill Pest Eliinators, Inc. They will provide information on Food Allergies: A Growing Public Health Issue, a Teamwork Approach to Investigating Foodborne Illness Outbreaks, the Illinois Food Code with a focus on inspection forms, Special Processes, and HACCP, and Pest Control in Establishments. 

September is National Food Safety Education Month, the perfect time to raise awareness about steps people can take to prevent food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) get sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases, which makes food safety an important public health priority. 

Foodborne illness is a common and costly problem, but it is preventable. National public health surveillance data provides some insight into the causes of food borne illness, types of implicated foods, and where food borne outbreaks occur. This information is routinely evaluated by local health departments in an effort to implement food safety strategies to prevent and control food borne illness within their community.

Below are some helpful food safety tips: 

Wash - Always wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets. Always start with a clean scene—wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops and utensils with hot water and soap.

Take Two - Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.

Clean Your Plate - Never place cooked food back on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

Safely Separate - Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in your grocery shopping cart and shopping bags and in your refrigerator.

Seal It - To prevent juices from raw meat, poultry or seafood from dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator, place these raw foods in sealed containers or plastic bags on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

For more information about National Food Safety Education Month, visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/education-month.htm.

To pre-register for the food service seminar, please call the LaSalle County Health Department at (815) 433-3366 or visit www.lasallecounty.org.